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ID Theft Monitoring Services: What You Need To Know
Fee-based services say they'll protect your identity, privacy, credit, name, and more. Find out what they can and can not do -- and learn what you can do to defend yourself.
Windows Vista More Vulnerable To Malware Than Windows 2000
Vista let 639 threats per thousand computers through, compared with 586 for Windows 2000, 478 for Windows 2003, and 1,021 for Windows XP, security vendor PC Tools said.
DARPA Plans Cyberwar 'Matrix'
The agency's National Cyber Range for cyberwar simulation would be similar to Star Trek's holodeck or a Snow Crash-style Metaverse.
MySpace To Share User Profiles With Other Sites
Yahoo, eBay, Photobucket, and Twitter have joined the site's "data-availability initiative" using OAuth integration technology.
FBI Withdraws Probe Of Wayback Machine Users
The settlement stems from a lawsuit claiming the FBI's request for information about the Internet Archive's Web library violated the First Amendment.
TorrentSpy Ordered To Pay $110 Million In Piracy Case
The Motion Picture Association of America announced that it won a permanent injunction against the site for distribution of pirated video.
Google Cuts Price, Rebrands Postini Security Service
Google has slashed the cost of its security service by 40% and added an optional protection feature for public Wi-Fi users in its continued efforts to lure businesses to Google Apps.
Facebook Commits To Stronger Safety And Privacy Measures
Facebook is working with state officials to protect young users of its social networking service.
Climate Researchers Tap 4,000-Chip IBM Supercomputer
Scientists will use the Bluefire computer to model drought patterns, agricultural seasons, global warming, and hurricane development.
Think Over Data's Value When Deciding What To Store
A report from the Society of Information Management says it is just as important to figure out what data you can throw out as it is to decide what to store.
Hackers Join Social Network Craze With 'House Of Hackers'
GnuCitizen's site promotes exchanging ideas through elite circles and tiger/red teams, but frowns on all criminal activities.
Congressman Seeks Second Life Ban In Schools, Libraries
Illinois' Mark Kirk hopes to quash online sex predators lurking around the virtual world by reviving the 2006 Deleting Online Predators Act.
911 Services Can't Handle Advanced Wireless Devices, Services
The 911 Industry Alliance says there is a problem because most call centers are analog and digital data isn't delivered.
Windows XP SP3 Now Available For Public Download
The service pack contains all the updates issued since SP2 was released in 2004, as well as new elements, including several borrowed from Vista.
Fake MP3 Trojan Detected On 27% Of PCs
McAfee Avert Labs says more than half a million of the adware programs disguised as media files have been detected in less than a week.
Hacker Kept On NDS Payroll After Accused Of Piracy
A high-ranking News Corp. official testified Tuesday that he kept two hackers on the payroll for years after one of them was accused of infiltrating the security system of rival satellite television company Dish Network.
Piracy Becomes Focus Of Net Neutrality Debate
The Recording Industry Association of America weighed in on the Internet traffic management issue at a House subcommittee hearing Tuesday.
Yahoo Partners With McAfee To Make Search More Secure
The collaboration covers Web site security issues, such as identifying sites associated with adware, malware, spyware, phishing, and spam.
Web Firm Sounds Alert On Criminal Data Trove
A Web security firm said on Tuesday it had tipped off international banks and police after finding a huge trove of stolen business and personal data amassed on a server in the space of just three weeks.
'Terrorists' Legal Team' Sues Abu Ghraib Contractors
The Center for Constitutional Rights alleges tech outsourcers at the Iraqi prison committed torture and other war crimes during a civilian interrogation.
ID Security Firm LifeLock Sued For Misleading Marketing
LifeLock CEO Todd Davis says his service, while not 100% bulletproof, is an effective deterrent to identity theft.
Spam Turns 30 And Never Looked Healthier
One e-mail security company estimates that spam, initially a nuisance, now makes up 95% of all e-mail.
Warez Site Operator Sentenced To 30 Months
Prosecutors said David Fish's sentencing is linked to the largest and most successful global criminal enforcement actions ever taken against organized piracy.
Judge Rejects RIAA's Music Copyright Infringement, Distribution Claims
Merely making copies of music available does not equal distribution, or primary copyright infringement, the judge said.
Google Warns Users About Phishing
In advising users to be wary of clicking on links in e-mail messages or responding to requests for personal information, Google is trying to protect its own business.
Former UCLA Health Employee Charged With Selling Celeb Records To Media
The U.S. District Court indictment against a former administrative assistant does not appear related to leaks of Britney Spears' health information this year.
Microsoft Again Delays Windows XP SP3 Release
Microsoft is holding up the software update's release, this time after finding a compatibility issue with an electronic checkout system for retailers.
Oracle Database Susceptible To Rare Attack
"A lateral SQL injection" attack that can be placed by an outsider in a database application using Oracle's extended PL/SQL query language can be prevented, security experts say.
Microsoft Blames Poor Coding Practices For Massive SQL Injection Attack
U.S. CERT recommends disabling JavaScript and ActiveX because of attacks that have compromised legitimate Web sites using Microsoft IIS Web Server and Microsoft SQL Server.
Forrester Predicts Slow Year For Government IT Spending
The report found that 43% of governments are working with flat budgets this year, while 40% have bigger budgets than last year.
Web 2.0: Whatever Google Knows About Spam, It Isn't Saying
Trust and reputation systems are a great way to reduce spam, but Google avoids talk of an ongoing flood of malware-infected porn on Google Groups pages.
Zero-Day Vulnerability Reported in Apple's QuickTime for Windows XP and Vista
Security consultancy GNUCitizen says an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a specially crafted QuickTime supported media file that allows remote code execution.
Think Tanks Propose National Innovation Foundation
Such a foundation would serve as a catalyst between industry and university researchers and seek to expand regional innovation through state governments.
Interop Preview: Tech Industry Gets Ready To Rumble
The nation's leading business technology event, Interop, gains added breadth this year as it is co-located with Software 2008, an event aimed at software developers, users, and industry executives.
Small And Midsize Businesses' IT Security Budgets 'Recession-Proof'
Despite overall economic difficulties, survey respondents say they still plan to invest in technology this year.
Microsoft Developers Weigh In On Live Mesh
Microsoft MVPs say that they hope Microsoft can deliver on the big promises it's making with its software-plus-services development platform.
Security Vulnerabilities Reported At Obama, Clinton Web Sites
Researchers said cross-site scripting problems found on the sites could result in anything from a harmless pop-up window to exposure to malicious software.
Infected Web Pages Nearly Triple
Sophos says that it discovered a new infected Web page every 5 seconds. In 2007, the company says, it saw new infected Web pages every 14 seconds.
Windows XP SP3 Embedded Not Coming In April
A Microsoft official would only say that Service Pack 3 for the Embedded version of Windows XP will come "at a later date."
Windows XP SP3 Set For Release, Microsoft Says
The service pack includes all updates issued since Windows XP Service Pack 2 was released in 2004, and some new elements.
Cell Phone Users Gain Mobile Access To Health Data
AllOne Mobile lets consumers securely access their personal health records through cell phones and PDAs.
Astronaut Sets U.S. Space Record
The Soyuz spacecraft landed Saturday, with three astronauts from the International Space Station returning home safely.
24 Digital Spy Tools To Capture, Protect, And Secure Data
To catch a data thief, you'll need discreet audio and video recorders, tiny cameras, keystroke loggers, and a trove of other 007-worthy digital security, monitoring, and surveillance devices.
JFK And LAX Get Scanners That See Through Clothes
Despite privacy concerns, TSA says 90% of passengers who are subject to secondary screening opt for a millimeter wave scan over a pat down.
CNN Faces Cyberattack Over Tibet Coverage
Security experts and researchers are mixed on whether the attacks, reportedly scheduled around 8 p.m. on April 19, Beijing time, will happen.
MacBook Pro Customers Report Blank Screens
The display problem occurred after users deployed the high-end notebook's latest firmware upgrade.
Apple Patches Safari Vulnerabilities
The fixes include patching a zero-day vulnerability in Apple's Web browser that allowed researchers to compromise a MacBook Air.
Women More Likely Than Men To Surrender Security For Chocolate
The overall percentage of London office workers willing to trade their computer passwords for a few moments of chocolaty goodness was down two-thirds compared to 2007.
700 MHz Auction Keeps U.S. Public Safety Network In Limbo
Qualcomm had the high bid of $472 million for the spectrum, but was dismissed because it was so far from the reserve price.
Online Retail Group Urges Caution On Behavioral Advertising Guidelines
Shop.org says consumers aren't hurt by tracking technology and the Federal Trade Commission's report on the subject was too broad.
Windows XP SP3 Pegged For Release On April 21
OEMs and Microsoft's friends will get the pack first followed by the rest of Windows XP users through Microsoft's online Windows Update service a week later.
L.A. Port To Use Unisys' Biometric Access Control
Unisys has integrated several other large-scale identity programs, including Australia's passport system with biometric passports.
Spear-Phishing Attack Uses Fake Subpoenas To Steal From CEOs
iDefense estimates that the attack went out to about 15,000 to 20,000 executives, resulting in about 1,800 confirmed malware victims.
Google Helps Group Find Child Predators On The Web
The software tools help the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sift through millions of pornographic images and videos from the Web to find child sex predators.
USPTO Launches Pilot To Expedite Patents
The First Action Interview pilot program will allow certain patent applicants a chance to resolve issues one-on-one early in the process.
Patent Office Curriculum Teaches Kids Respect For Intellectual Property
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office designed the program to inspire K-12 students' creativity and teach the value of patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Layered Technologies Buys FastServers.net
Layered is targeting its growth toward consolidation and virtualization in the data center, as corporations look to reduce high real estate and leasing costs.
Oracle Plans 41 Patches For Tuesday
The number of published proof-of-concept exploits for Oracle products last year supports research noting an increase in attacks on applications.
Study Finds 'Alarming' Ignorance About Cybercrime
"Consumers' unsecured computers play a major role in helping cybercriminals conduct cybercrimes," the National Cyber Security Alliance warns.
Microsoft Calls On Net Advertisers To Adopt Privacy Standards
The company told the FTC that Internet advertising companies should adopt a five-tiered system of standards to protect consumer privacy.
U.S. Adults Wary Of Web-Use Tracking
Survey respondents were uncomfortable when Web sites used visitors' online activity to tailor advertisements or content based on their hobbies or interests.
RSA: The Case For Code Testing
Automated security tools are the best way to reduce application-layer vulnerabilities, said cybersecurity veteran Howard Schmidt.
RSA: Cyber Storm II Builds Network To Defend Against Cyber Crisis
The latest government-sponsored simulated computer security crisis shows there are still some shortfalls in information sharing.
Microsoft Releases 'Critical' Security Updates For Windows, Explorer
One of the key vulnerabilities involves a weakness in Microsoft's VBScript and JScript scripting engines.
Google Groups Still Littered With Malware-Infected Explicit Videos
Sunbelt Software CEO Alex Eckelberry says the problem is directly tied to hacks of Google's CAPTCHA security.
Cisco Buys Rest Of Nuova, Launches Data Center Switch
The upcoming Nexus 5020 will be the second in a larger line of Nexus switches that combine storage, switching, management, virtualization and security.
RSA: Chertoff Likens U.S. Cyber Security To 'Manhattan Project'
The Homeland Security secretary calls for beefing up the cyberdefenses of federal agencies and making sure all of them can respond to threats around the clock.
Windows Vista SP1 Installation Bug Fixed, Microsoft Says
The fix applies to Microsoft's Servicing Stack Update for Vista SP1, which users need to install before downloading SP1.
RSA: Microsoft Calls For Broad Dialogue On Internet Trust
Research officer Craig Mundie's proposal includes the creation of a trusted computing stack in which software, hardware, people, and data can be authenticated.
RSA: EMC Says It's Time To 'Think Differently About Security'
EMC executive Art Coviello calls on Congress to pass a national data breach notification law, so that companies don't have to deal with the various 40 state data breach laws.
Intel, LSI To Improve Security On Xeon-Based RAID Technology
The companies announced the expansion of their partnership at the Storage Networking World conference Monday in Orlando, Fla.
FTC Divided Over Online 'Behavioral Targeting'
The agency calls for industry self-regulation despite concerns regarding collection and use of sensitive data, such as medical information and information about children.
Firm Offers Virtual Desktops Without Need To Install Client Software
InstallFree Bridge doesn't disturb the client machine's operating system and it leaves no trace of the virtual desktop behind.
Pizza.com Web Domain Sold For $2.6 Million
The domain owner worked with Sedo, an online auctioneer of domain names, to broker the deal.
Apple Issues QuickTime Security Fix
Apple patched 11 vulnerabilities, nine of which might have allowed an attacker to execute malicious code on a victim's machine.
U.S. Health Agency Forbids Sensitive Data On Apple MacBooks
Employees who store medical records on laptops must use systems that run either on Microsoft's Windows operating system or Linux.
States Get Extensions On Real ID Act
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has granted extensions to every state as well as the District of Columbia and all five U.S. territories.
Random Search Stops $600 Million In Trade Secrets Bound For China
The feds have indicated a software engineer who was flying to China with confidential technical documents, a thumb drive, four external hard drives, 29 recordable compact discs, and a videotape.
Microsoft Plans Five 'Critical' Security Updates For Windows, Explorer
The fixes apply to Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008.
New Zealander 'AKILL' Pleads Guilty To Botnet Charges
The economic damage of an 18-year-old and his group's crimes is estimated to be about $20 million.
Symantec, Microsoft Settle Windows Suit
The case centered on storage management technology Microsoft had licensed from vendor Veritas, which was integrated into Windows.
Adware And Mobile Phone Malware On The Rise
Even though most malware targets the Symbian platform, Apple's SDK is expected to result in more sophisticated iPhone attacks and infections, researchers said.
Online Group Charged With Selling Illegal Software On Warez Scene
The 17-page indictment charges five people of trading pirated copies of Symantec Anti-Virus programs, Windows Server Enterprise Edition, and others.
Indonesia Threatens To Block YouTube Over Anti-Islamic Film
Indonesian Information Minister Mohammad Nuh said his country will block YouTube if it doesn't remove Fitna.
States Have Access To Info About Millions, Including Secret Files
The information includes unlisted cell phone numbers and records, credit reports, insurance claims, driving records, driver's license photos, top-secret CIA databases, and secret FBI repositories and resources, The Washington Post reported.
Hannaford Data Breach Blamed On Malware
The grocer said the data breach involved malicious software that was found on computer servers at about 300 of the company's stores.
PGP Adds Encryption To Windows Mobile Smartphones
PGP Mobile encrypts Windows Mobile-based data automatically, but still allows mobile data to be shared securely with other mobile and desktop users.
SIIA Offers Up To $1 Million For Piracy Tips
Most sources are current or former employees, member companies, vendors, or another person with firsthand knowledge about a company's IT operations.
Telecommuting Adoption Up; Security Still A Concern
A CDW survey shows that private sector telecommuting adoption is on the rise (14%) and catching up to the adoption rates of federal employees (17%).
Apple's Security Patch Process Gets Worse While Microsoft's Gets Better
Swiss researchers suggest that the revived popularity of Apple's products may have left the company unable to keep up with security risks.
Gossip Site JuicyCampus Defends 'Anonymous Free Speech'
Several states are investigating the Web site, which allows college students to anonymously post comments about other students.
U.S. Atty. Gen. Says Piracy Threatens National Safety
The U.S. Attorney General wants wiretap authority for piracy investigations, adding that counterfeit goods and intellectual property theft generates profits for organized crime and terrorists.
Craigslist Slammed For Hosting Prostitution Ads
The company says it has implemented a new screening process for erotic service ads that has substantially cut down on the number of such ads.
MacBook Air Hacked In Two Minutes
Security researchers from Independent Security Evaluators managed to hack a MacBook Air using a zero-day vulnerability in Apple's Safari 3.1 Web browser.
7 Whole-Disk Encryption Apps Put A Lock On Data
TruCrypt, PGP, FreeOTFE, BitLocker, DriveCrypt, and 7-Zip provide remarkably strong, on-the-fly, encryption to keep your data secure from loss, theft, or prying eyes.
Sony Reports Possible Security Breach On PlayStation Network
The company said people who can log in with their preset passwords have not been affected.
Xbox Live Cheaters Hit With Penalties
Microsoft reset cheaters' "gamerscore" accounts to zero and eliminated all past achievements. There is no appeal.
Safari 3.1 For Windows Vulnerable To Hackers
Security firm Secunia says it has found two "highly critical" vulnerabilities in Apple's Safari 3.1 For Windows browser.
Washington State Gov. Signs RFID Privacy Protection Law
The law applies to RFID chips in identification cards, cell phones, and even running shoes, like those that Nike coupled with iPods so runners can log their mileage, pace, and calories burned.
China Denies Claims It Might Bug Beijing Hotel During Olympics
Officials cite security reasons for warning travelers that their rooms may be accessed at any time without their consent or knowledge.
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